


The Circus of Remnant

by Raywritesthings



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-17 17:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17565299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raywritesthings/pseuds/Raywritesthings
Summary: The circus.Where could Yang even begin?She hated it. Despised it. Something beyond it, surely. All Yang knew about the circus was enough--animal abusers, rapists, dirty people who had sneaked their way in for the money. She especially hated the local circus who featured the Belladona’s, a family of trapeze artists her sister adored watching. And because Ruby always got what she wanted, every single year they performed, Yang and her father were there.It was torture for her, honestly. Her dad kept saying one of these years she might actually enjoy the performance, but every time she sees them swing around above and the lions roar below them, Yang leaves with a bitter feeling in her chest.But everything changed when she saw a trapeze artist swing her way into her heart and change her view about the circus forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don't know what I'm doing??  
> I've had the idea of a RWBY circus au for a loong time but I never got around to do it until now. This is a work in process and writing isn't really my thing so I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Have patience if out of nowhere this story sucks lol  
> This is also my first time using AO3 and I'm lost lol this is more professional than wattpad  
> Anyways, enjoy I guess??

The circus.

Where could Yang even begin? 

She hated it. _Despised_ it. Something beyond it, surely. All Yang knew about the circus was enough--animal abusers, rapists, dirty people who had sneaked their way in for the money. She especially hated the local circus who featured the Belladona’s, a family of trapeze artists her sister adored watching. And because Ruby always got what she wanted, every single year they performed, Yang and her father were there.  

It was torture for her, honestly. Her dad kept saying one of these years she might actually enjoy the performance, but every time she sees them swing around above and the lions roar below them, Yang leaves with a bitter feeling in her chest.

So here they were, for the sixth time, waiting for the performance to begin. Ruby was obnoxiously excited next to Yang, drumming her fingers on the armchair they shared. Her dad on the far end looked ready to fall asleep, the poor man had been so tied up with work. It seemed selfish of Ruby to bring him to the circus...but Yang was glad he came. There was no way she was dealing with this by herself.

As time disappeared and the performance grew closer and closer, the seats were barely empty. Yang didn’t understand how people kept coming back to this circus! It wasn’t even that good! Yang could’ve been polishing her motorcycle, or doing that one Chemistry assignment she had procrastinated on days now, but because Ruby loved fire and people flying, the circus was the number one priority.

Well, at least she had a bag of peanuts.

She felt Ruby shake her arm as the lights began to dim. “It’s starting! It’s starting!”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” A male voice rang out. The people, just with these three words, went wild. They were clapping and shouting; Ruby looked more than ecstatic. Yang rolled her eyes, knowing this night would be long. From the center of the circular stage, a single person rose. The silhouette of a man was noticeable through the purple, blue and pink lights. He had his arms raised, a top hat on, and a red coat. On his right hand, he clutched tightly a black cane. “Welcome to The Circus of Remnant!”

If Yang thought the crowd went wild before, it was nothing compared to the cheers followed up by that announcement.

“Overrated,” She mumbled and Ruby smacked her arm.

“Today we are accompanied by the legends themselves, the Belladonna’s! Make some noise!” People, of course did. Yang could see the man’s smirk all the way from her seat which wasn’t close to the stage at all. The most their dad could afford was near the door. However, the man’s features popped. Pale white hair and ivory skin. The man steps aside and grabs a microphone. 

“Before, however, we jump into our greatest stars of the show, it’s time we see our traditional dancers.” Everyone began screaming again, thrilled. Yang knew exactly who these people were, after coming to the circus six times she memorized who came first. The Belladonna’s were always at the end.

Two people stepped into the ring, raising their hands in absolute grace. A man and a woman. They just raised their limbs and were met with the loudest of applause. Yang realized the bag of peanuts in her hands would be the best part of her night. The spotlight danced around them before finally focusing on the woman. The moment the light met contact with her skin, the sound died. Ruby next to her stopped moving.

If Yang wasn’t lazy, she could vaguely remember the girl’s name, expect she _was_ lazy. The girl in the spotlight had short, ginger hair and bright blue eyes. She wore very revealing clothes. A pink mini skirt barely reached her knees, making her legs and her feet (she was wearing high heels; _what_?) stand out. She wore a simple shirt that could have easily been a bra, exposing part of her stomach yet not too much so her midriff wouldn’t show. One of the sleeves of the bra reached until her wrist, while the other one had no sleeve. Both the skirt and the bra matched the same, hot pink color. She looked stunning, Yang couldn’t lie.

She began moving to the loud sound of the music behind her, the start of the instruments made Yang jump. She danced around the edges of the stage, the spotlight never leaving her once. The people were petrified, watching every move. She did some jumps and twirls, the other dance still on his original position with his arms raised. As she passed him, the girl jumped and the man grabbed her. Using the force from the jump, he raised her on his shoulders. It looked completely easy, a trick Yang could’ve never done with Ruby. 

The man did a couple of circles with the girl still on his shoulders. She did a cartwheel backwards and landed on her feet. She quickly moved towards the edge of the stage as the spotlight fell on the man alone. He was wearing a dazzling, shining green vest without nothing underneath, so his chest was naked. He wore simple white pants that seemed made out of the most annoying fabric which reached to his ankles. He had long, black hair and a single streak dyed in pink--almost matching the girl.

He did a couple of cartwheels that caused the crowd to ooh. Despite the hatred Yang had for the circus, she couldn’t help but admit the talent these people had. It was a shame they wasted it on a circus, though, and not on actual, good competitions.

“Look!” Ruby said, pointing at the shadowy figure of the girl as she stepped into the spotlight. She was carrying two sticks one, noticeably, on fire. Yang blink and met Ruby’s gaze. Last time they checked, the Remnant circus never had fire breathers.

The spotlight fell on the girl again as she quickly gripped the top of the stick. She then gripped the flame like it was _nothing_. As her hand moved to grip the original stick again, fire followed her palm. Her hand closed on the unlit stick once more, instantly lighting it on fire. The crowd clapped and cheered as she blew the fire away in her palm like she was blowing a kiss.

For the rest of the performance, the two dancers moved to the rhythm of the music with flames in their hands. They’d juggle the sticks to each other and by themselves. They’d swallow the flame whole and then breathe it out. It reminded Yang of a dragon. Eventually the two dancers met in the center of the stage once again. They linked their arms together and blew the fire out in unison, the spotlight going out at the same time.

Ruby’s immense shouting afterwards almost broke Yang’s eardrum.     


	2. The girl in the sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> umm ok don't kill me because this chapter is super short 
> 
> I have nothing else to say other than the fact I love Blake and Sun's friendship fight me
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading if you are! I love you!
> 
> -Ray

“Are you ready?” Sun asked, stepping into her room. Two years ago, Blake would’ve completely bitten his head off for not knocking, but at this point she just didn’t care. She was arranging the black choker on her neck before it’d  _ actually  _ choke her as Sun locked eyes with her in the mirror. “I’ll take that as a no.”

Blake rolled her eyes. “I slept over my alarm.”

He laughed. He was ready with his golden vest (very similar to Ren’s) expect he wore black pants to match with her aesthetic. Blake, in the mirror, looked at herself. Two years ago she would’ve never imagined herself wearing very revealing clothes. She wore a single outfit. The top would hung from her shoulders like a tank-top and the bottom part were shorts, one leg was cut off earlier than the other. To go with the black bodysuit, Blake wore a purple and white ombre veil at her side. The fresh air of the circus made her back (which was completely exposed) shiver. 

Before the show, Pyrrha had applied a lot of makeup on Blake, despite her protests. Finally looking at the whole thing...she admitted she liked it. Blake looked at herself once more, realizing she was far more nervous tonight than any other performance. 

“You okay?” Sun asked, stepping at her side. 

“Just don’t be stupid and drop me.” She remarked, arranging her black, wavy hair. “My mom isn’t here to make sure you kill me so--” 

“I promised both of your parents I wouldn’t drop you!” He argued. “And, hey, I used to practice with Ilia all the time before she moved to the canons.”

She sighed. “Suddenly being launched from one canon into another sounds far better than having to depend on you to catch me.”

Sun gasped and placed one hand on his chest. “I’m hurt. I’m an  _ excellent  _ trapeze artist, for the record.”

She grinned. “Sure.”

Before Sun could argue anything, Blake was already pulling him out the door. There was nothing luxurious about the backstage of the circus. The gigantic red and white tent with a blue flag at the top hid the smaller, crappier tents behind. Tents Blake had grown used to living in. They were divided in sections and the sections revolved around the act. If you worked with animals, you wouldn’t be sharing the same tent with a clown. The light bulbs hanging from the trees were barely enough to illuminate anything, yet Blake knew her way perfectly around. 

She pushed the fabric of the tent and stepped inside, Sun at her heels. 

Nora and Ren were leaning against the barrels which were practically supporting the tent. Blake waved at them with a warm smile. At noticing her, Nora jumped and ran towards her, pulling her aside from one moment. 

“I know you’re really anxious,” She started. “Because it’s your first time without your parents, but I want you to know that I’m here for you! If Sun isn’t able to catch you, Ren and I made a plan considering every possibility of you dying to make  _ sure  _ you don’t.”

Blake blinked. “Are you trying to reassure me?”

“I’m trying to tell you everything will be fine! You love being on the trapeze at the end of the day, don’t you?”

She sighed. “Yeah, I really do.”

Nora smiled again. Something about her smile was so contagious, even Ren wasn’t immune to it. After all, Nora and Ren were like glue. They were living together in the streets before the circus took them in and by circus, Blake meant Ozpin. He was a nice man when he wanted to. There was nothing forcing him to give Ren and Nora a home, a family, yet he did. 

“You’ll do great.” Nora said once more, rubbing her hands on Blake’s arms up and down. When Ozpin announced her act, Nora beamed. “Go get ‘em tiger!”

Blake laughed and linked her arm with Sun as they stepped into the stage. The amount of cheers and applause she was receiving made her heart melt. After doing numerous acts, the support of the people was one of her favorite things. The arena was darker than she expected maybe Jaune messed up on the lighting today, but other than that everything seemed to be normal. Blake let her hand fall into Sun’s as they raised their arms, causing more screams. She let out a laugh as she dropped Sun’s hand and made her way to the right side of the stage, Sun going left. 

There, Pyrrha was ready to hand Blake the ladder she’d be climbing. “Break a leg.”

“ _ Please _ don’t say that.” She said, but laughed anyways. From across the stage she met Sun’s eyes and they nodded, climbing the ladder at a similar pace. Pyrrha began looking smaller and smaller. The height never scared Blake. If anything, it thrilled her. Her feet landed solid on the small piece of floor hanging by secure lines. She looked below, the ground so far. Blake smiled as she readied herself while Sun began swinging.

While the people were busy watching him go to and fow, Blake tangled her knees on the bar and pushed herself forward. All of a sudden, she was weightless. She was flying and gravity couldn’t pull her down. She was upside down, probably one of her favorite part of the trapeze, as she analyzed everything going below her. Some little kids had their jaws hanging. The music helped as a guide. When the strong accords jumped in, so she did. She did a cartwheel after swinging for a couple of seconds and her hands collided with Sun’s. People clapped. 

They continued swinging back and forth. Sun was holding himself by his knees hanging on the bar, his hands secure in Blake’s. Before they knew it, Blake was swinging again, landing on her own bar. Her hands made firm contact with the material and she pulled herself up so she was sitting on it, almost like she was using a swing. She landed solid on the floor piece once more, the bar continued swinging out of her reach. Blake needed to breathe for this part. This part was the one she was most nervous about. 

A triple somersault. Ozpin announced it perfectly on time. Blake breathed in and out. In and out. She tried to ignore the raging cheer of the people, the flashing lights and the suffocating music. It was just and the trapeze, sure and Sun, but it was mostly just her. Before she knew it, her body was shaking with anticipation as the bar swung back towards her. Blake caught it without a problem and began swinging, this time much higher. The people were expecting an amazing trick. They were expecting a Belladonna in action. After swinging back and forward for a few times, Blake shut her eyes for a quick moment of darkness. She jumped off her bar and did pushed herself forward, causing her to sort of “tumble” three times before grabbing onto Sun’s hands. 

She couldn’t put into words the glee the applause caused her.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Halfway through the performance Yang was obligated to just  _ ask _ . “Ruby, who  _ is  _ that?”  

“She’s a Belladonna, obviously.” Her sister replied in a tone that would’ve guaranteed a slap if Yang wasn’t so intrigued by the girl up in the trapeze. “I think she’s the youngest one. Her parents promised big things of her. But she’s amazing! Look at her!”

_ Oh, I’m looking.  _ Yang thought. She didn’t remember seeing the girl from her previous times of coming to the circus. She would’ve for sure remembered someone so graceful and talented. Before Yang’s mind could process anything else, the act was over and the people were clapping. She could just sit there, jaw open as her eyes lingered on the girl. She smiled softly to the boy next to her and wow! This girl was unreal! The next thing Yang knew, the lights were on again and Ruby was pulling Yang out of her seat. 


	3. The Three Musketeers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see Yang meet the circus gang ;)))
> 
> Plus a little backstory on what happened with her family and Ruby. I didn't want to make it sound so depressing but after the volume 6 finale I had no choice guys. 
> 
> Also Ren is one step closer to being Batman.

What was she doing here? Yang had absolutely no clue. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was supposed to finish her Chemistry assignment due in less than four hours. Was she going to? No. She had decided to sneak into the circus at daytime and try to get a word with the trapeze artist. She didn’t know how exactly she was going to manage this or what she’d even say, but Yang knew the girl had ignited something in her. Something about the way she moved changed the way Yang looked at circuses for a split second. 

When she arrived at the tent that was still up, everything looked so different. The flashing lights were dead and it was far more dull without the laughter of the people. The peanut stand had left and so did the ticket stand. It seemed...empty. In need of something. Yang was sure if Ruby saw the circus like this she wouldn’t think it was as great. 

There was no security which made her job easier. She simply stepped inside the tent. It looked bigger without the people. She realized a couple of performers were standing in the middle of the stage, laughing and goofing out. One of the girls didn’t look like she belonged in the circus. She had long, white hair in a side ponytail and icy blue eyes. She wore a luxurious grey dress and carried a designer handbag in her hands. However, she seemed getting along with the circus performers just fine. Who  _ was  _ this girl? And why was she so...rich?

“I swear!” Another girl said. Yang recognized her from last night, one of the dancers. “You should’ve seen Neptune’s face when Jaune and I stole some of his peanuts.”

The rich girl rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you did that without me. Pranks are only permitted when I’m around, okay? I’m still sad my father prohibited my attendance on yesterday’s show.”

The other dancer--the boy--who now had his hair in a messy bun said, “You didn’t miss anything important besides Blake’s triple somersault. She nailed it, though! Oh and Pyrrha finally befriended the lion. She named him Mosy.” 

The girl arched her eyebrows. “I’m going to have a serious talk with Nikos when I find her. And you bet I’m forcing Blake and Sun to make a somersault for me.”

_ Blake.  _

Was that the girl? 

Finally, it seemed like the ginger noticed Yang idly standing at the entrance. She almost choked on a peanut before pointing directly at her. The conversation was sharply interrupted and all pairs of eyes were set on her. Yang hated the attention. Suddenly, going back home and dealing with the elements and the periodic table seemed  _ far  _ more appealing. Thankfully, no lion charged at her. No fire was shot at her direction. 

The rich girl simply walked up to Yang and said, “State your business here, please.”

Yang swallowed. She was nice. That was good, right? “I--uh came yesterday to watch the show. You guys were amazing by the way.”

“Thank you!” The ginger said, smiling proudly.

“And I wanted to see if I could talk to the trapeze girl.” Yang finished, fearing the reaction of the performers as words left her mouth. After she was done with her sentence, she desperately wished to grab the words and shove them back into her mouth. But they were said. They were out there and the performers certainly heard her. 

The rich girl laughed. It wasn’t a cold sound like she expected. “Blake is a celebrity among us, you know? A lot of girls such as yourself come and want to talk to her and she’s declined every single one of you. Besides, she’s a busy woman! She has to carry an entire legacy and press you never know what she’s up to! I can try and see--”

“Nevermind.” Yang said cooly. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Have a good day.”

She was on her way to leave the tent when a hand fell on her shoulder. She turned around and met those blue eyes filled with joy looking up at her. The dancer turned out to be incredibly short, but Yang shouldn’t underestimate someone who can literally breathe fire. “Yeah?”

“What did you want to say to her?” She asked, a little shy. “Blake loves the support of the crowd a lot. And she  _ is  _ busy but I’m sure she’d want to listen what you have to say.”

_ Oh you can just go ahead and tell her she made me gay in an instant of five seconds. That’ll be all, thanks!  _ Yang almost snorted at her own joke. 

“I just...really liked her performance.” She said vaguely. “I don’t think highly of circuses so...her act really made me kind of experience what it’s really about.”

The girl smiled and turned to face the other performers. “You really think Blake wouldn’t love to hear that?”

The white haired girl rolled her eyes. “Oh, c’mon, Nora! She  _ just  _ admitted she hates the circus! Plus, Blake’s parents are coming back today and we have another show this afternoon! She should be practicing not meeting up with fans who continuously tell her how great she is.”

The ginger--Nora--sighed and turned to face Yang again. “Right now might not be a good time. But since we have another show tonight, maybe you can catch her backstage? Will you allow that, Weiss?”

Weiss scoffed. “Who even  _ is  _ this girl to have such VIP treatment? If my sister found out she’d take away all authorization I have on this circus! And I  _ love  _ bossing everyone around!”

“If that’s the case, then please come to tonight’s show and talk to Blake.” The boy said. Weiss gasped and lightly pushed him, causing both of them to laugh at each other. 

Yang looked down. What was she doing? Was talking to this girl really the best idea? She could just pretend nothing happened. She could just ignore the feeling of desire rising in her chest every time she thought of the girl. But then she remembered she lived with Ruby. And even if the world was ending, Ruby would  _ still  _ find time to watch the circus. There was no stopping her sister from coming here next year. Yang would be forever reminded of this beautiful girl. 

“I’ll see.” She simply murmured. “Will it be just me or--?”

Nora snorted. “Oh, no, no. Millions of boys and girls will be waiting for her, believe me. Some even skip the show just to see her personally and take pictures.”

Yang sighed. No matter what, it would still be useless. “Well, thank you for the help anyways.”

Like she noticed Yang’s mind had changed, Nora gripped her arm. Despite her size, she was strikingly strong. If Yang didn’t go to the gym daily, this girl might be stronger than her. Even if Yang tried to pull away, Nora was there pulling her back. “Really. Try to come. I’m sure Blake would love to listen to you. It’s not every day a hater of the circus comes and say they love your act. She really appreciates those things.”

Just by a few sentences, Yang could tell Nora was one of the most caring and lovable people she had met. Ruby was a tough competition, but there was a noticeable kindness and just love Nora carried in her words Ruby lacked. Ruby was all about actions. 

Yang offered her a smile. “Thanks, Nora. I loved your act too. How did you even breathe fire?”

“Oh, I can tell you all about it! Ren has a scar on his lip from that time he swallowed when he wasn’t supposed to and it burnt him.  _ Ren! Hey! _ Get over here! Show her your scar!” 

Before Yang knew it, she had spent most of the afternoon chatting with Ren and Nora. She learned a lot about them in just a few hours and loved them already. She couldn’t understand how polar opposite such as them could unite in a beautiful friendship. They loved each other so much even a stranger could see it. From what Yang learned, Ren and Nora were orphans. Both came from different parts of the world yet met by fate. They lived together for a while until Ozpin--the ring leader--found them looking for food and adopted them, basically. Gave them a home. 

They weren’t supposed to join the circus since Ozpin didn’t want to force them into an act. It just so happened Ren and Nora grew into excellent dancers and enjoyed it. They enjoyed the thrill and the applause, everything. Ozpin couldn’t deny their pleads to have an act and since then, they don’t go one show without putting Ren and Nora in there. Ozpin called them “The Dynamic Duo” but Ren instantly turned down the name since he thought he’d be disappointing Batman’s legacy. 

“I told him so many times it was a fictional character and it  _ didn’t matter! _ ” Nora said, crossing her arms. “Did he listen to me? No! Now we’re called Flower Power which is certainly not as cool and he’s fine with it! Can you believe it?”

Yang laughed as she shook her head. “He reads a lot of comics I guess?”

“Not a lot, no.” Nora answered. “We don’t really have the money to buy a lot. Most of our personal belongings are from things we find on the bleachers. One day a kid just left a Batman comic, Ren found it and completely fell in love with it. Sometimes we call him Batman just to annoy him, but we all know he secretly likes it.”

“No, I don’t!” He argued, crossing her arms. 

Weiss barely joined the conversation, but it was obvious she was listening. She laughed at Nora’s jokes and occasionally would say, “Of course you do!” When one of them denied something. Out of all three of them, Weiss seemed the hardest to crack. It’s evident she came from a different background than Ren and Nora, yet they were able to sit down and make each other laugh. 

“So, what do you do?” Yang asked, without thinking of it. She realized what she just said and added something else so it wouldn’t sound as mean. “I--I mean. Your act! Everyone has an act, right? What about yours?”

“I am talentless.” Weiss said, then winked. “Sometimes I sing in performances, but not a lot. Jaune gets mad and says my voice drives people away from focusing on his music. Complete nonsense if you ask me. But as you can obviously see, I come from a rich family and we support the circus on what it needs. I’m a client. Ozpin and I are partners and I take 20% of the circuses money.”

Yang cocked her head sideways. “Sounds nice.”

“It’s more mathematical than I’d like to admit but these talented kids wouldn’t be anywhere if it wasn’t for me.” Weiss said, smirking. “Not to brag but--”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Ren interrupted. Weiss pushed him again and this time, he fell off the bleachers cursing loudly. Nora broke into laughter and Yang couldn’t help but follow her example. Growing up, she really didn’t have much friends of her own. It was just Ruby. After their mother’s death, Ruby went into a dark void. Incredibly young for her age. Sure, Yang missed her step-mom horribly but she understood she eventually needed to move on from the grief. Ruby was too young to understand there was such a thing. She’d stop eating, she’d spend days without flashing a smile. When it got worse, Ruby wouldn’t even leave her bed. Her dad got incredibly worried and got her to seek help immediately and although that did help, Ruby had to move on on her own. 

So there was Yang, every day of the school year eating with her little sister so she didn’t go through the anxiety of meeting new people. She was there helping Ruby with homework she didn’t go through the stress of not understanding a subject. And if Yang didn’t understand something Ruby was learning, she’d push herself over the limit to understand it. Her little sister was too young to fall into depression and Yang had made it her duty to prevent that from happening. 

Years after that misfortune, Ruby became the bright, pure girl Yang loved. Sure, she was a pain in the ass but she couldn’t ask for a better sister. They try not to bring up their mom because just one simple mention will pull Ruby momentarily back to those horrible years. Yang isn’t sure if she has enough strength to pull her back out again. 

So, yeah. Having friends of her own whom she could genuinely laugh with feels fantastic. Yang checked the clock and realized it was getting late. Her dad would have her head if she didn’t return to eat dinner with them. 

“I have to go, actually.” She said. Her heart warmed up when she realized all of them looked sad. “But I’ll come tonight, I promise.”

Nora smiled. “You can tell Coco who’s usually the one selling tickets that you know us and she won’t charge you.”

“Nora, are you aware I am in this room?” Weiss asked. “Are you certain I’m going to let such thing happen?”

She shrugged. “Coco’s still gonna let her in. Just say ‘queen of the castle’. It’s like our code name. She’ll immediately know you’re telling the truth.”

Yang smiled. How did she even live before Nora? “Then I’ll definitely be here, front row.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, guys!
> 
> -Ray


	4. Rock bottom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake and Yang finally meet wHOOP 
> 
> Also I know I'm missing a lot of "iconic" circus roles like a sword swallower or a magician but those are for later hehehehe
> 
> Anyways, enjoy whatever this is lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me I love slow burns

She couldn’t believe she was lying to them already. 

After coming home and eating dinner, Yang raced up to her room to see what she’d wear for tonight. Of course, neither Ruby or her dad knew she’d be going to the circus tonight. She’d have to sneak out (which wasn’t something she did often but she still did.) Then she realized the show was only half an hour away from starting and she hadn’t even started her homework. So there she was, flying through the chemistry questions in less than five minutes before turning it in and sneaking out. 

By the time Yang had left the house, Ruby had gone off to sleep and her dad sat on the couch to watch his daily dose of terrible rom-com movies. She knew that once he put play on  _ Mean Girls _ , her dad wouldn’t be going anywhere. Yang hastily got on bumblebee and raced towards the circus that was, thankfully, ten minutes away. Once she got there, the aesthetic of the carnival was alive. Completely different from what she saw in the morning. Posters of Ren and Nora doing tricks were hanging on the walls as well as the Belladonna’s. Such sight just encouraged Yang to get in line and pray it got shorter before the show started. 

Eventually, Yang was in front of a girl with glasses and a bob cut. She looked distracted from her work but when her eyes fell on Yang, she cracked a smile. “Just you? Fifteen Lien, please.”

“Queen of the castle.” Yang answered, feeling slightly absurd. When Coco raised her eyebrow, Yang laughed nervously. She finally nodded towards the entrance and Yang flashed a smile. The circus was the same as last night, expect it was far more crowded. She imagined the people who couldn’t catch up with the show yesterday came today. She found an empty sit and nimbly sat down. She realized waiting for the performance to start seemed less entertaining without Ruby.  

Yang realized she’d have to sit through an entire show again. Despite her attraction to the trapeze artist, she still hated the circus. She still believed (for the most part) it was filled with dirty people. She didn’t even have the time to buy peanuts so now she’d have to die of boredom for a while on an empty stomach. 

Sooner than expected, the lights went low and the cheers began. The ring leader, which Yang knew it was Ozpin, appeared on the stage and the show carried on just like yesterday. Ren and Nora got on stage and Yang applauded (for the first time) and let out a few yells. She knew it was unlikely they heard her, but she still wanted to support them. 

And just like that, the trapeze artist Yang had so desperately yearned for stepped into the stage. 

The entire crowd went silent as she began climbing the ladder. She didn’t know who the audience was supposed to see at what time, because while the male trapeze artist was swinging back and forward, Yang’s eyes remained fix on the girl. She was wearing the same outfit as yesterday and still looked like a goddess with it. She pushed herself forward and she began swinging. Yang’s eyes followed every moment. She watched as their hands collided with each other and they did cartwheels in the air. She ignored the crowd’s cheering and focused only on the Belladonna. The triple somersault came, she executed it perfectly and the crowd rewarded her for it. 

And the next thing Yang knew, the lights were on and people were leaving their seats. She grabbed her army jacket and ran towards backstage were around a dozen of people were already in line. She sighed in disappointment and checked her watch. Mean Girls would’ve ended already and her dad would have checked on her. Yang was for sure screwed, but she was so close. She couldn’t just leave now.  

“Yang!” Someone said behind her. 

She turned around and saw Nora, opening her arms for a hug. She obviously hugged Nora (and tightly). “I told you I’d come, didn’t I?”

“Weiss owes me ten Lien now.” She said, smiling. “I’m sorry you had to see the same show again but--”

“Hey, don’t worry!” Yang interrupted. “It was great to see you guys swallow fire again.”

Nora smiled. She grabbed Yang’s hand and pulled her away from the line. Before she could protest, Nora passed the entire line before opening the tent. Yang’s eyes went wide. Nora shook her head and pulled Yang inside. Inside, the tent looked as cozy as it did from the outside. The performers slept in sleeping bags, this girl’s bag pushed against a corner. She had a couple of clothes on the floor (which wasn’t a floor, it was just  _ grass _ ) and a clothing rack filled with outfits that dazzled. The few light the tent had was because of some candles on the grass, which seemed like a hazard to everyone’s safety. 

Yang stopped breathing when her eyes fell on the girl. She was picking her hair up into a ponytail, looking at herself in a cheval mirror, sitting down on a wooden stool. Just looking at her back muscles work, Yang felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. Nora nudged her arms and stepped forward. 

“Hey, Blake!” The girl jumped in surprise, dropping her brush onto the grass. She let her hail fall as well and slowly turning around with a glare.

Yang couldn’t explain the feelings that she felt when Blake’s eyes fell on her. She was even more beautiful up close. Her golden eyes shined in a way the stage failed to capture. She also looked way more intimidating despite Yang being taller. There was something about her that made Yang realize talking to her wouldn’t be easy. She seemed isolated from the other performers and that couldn’t be a good sign. She also didn’t seem happy to see Nora and everyone loved her so…

“I brought you a friend.” Nora said, pushing Yang forward. 

“I’m not seeing anyone yet.” Blake said, completely ignoring Yang as she picked up her hairbrush, took some grass off it, and continued brushing her hair. “You know I don’t see people until ten thirty, Nora.”

“This girl is special.” She answered, stepping into Blake’s view. Yang could only see herself through the cheval mirror, seeing how her limbs wouldn’t move. She could make a run for it. She really could. She could go back home, get a slight lecture from her dad, and just go to sleep hoping it was all a dream. Yang started imagining what lie she could tell next year and the next so she wouldn’t have to come to the show anymore. Maybe Uncle Qrow could fill in her spot. Ruby loved him more than anything and Yang was certain he’d hate the circus just like she does. “C’mon, Blake. At least say hi.”

Blake desperately sighed. She harshly turned around and met eyes with Yang. “Hi.” She turned around and continued brushing her hair. 

A sour feeling fell on Yang’s mouth. Usually, she would’ve snarked a sarcastic comment back but something about Blake’s...existence made it hard. What was the point of being so enthralled with someone if they were rude? If they didn’t care what their ‘fans’ had to say? There was no way Yang would call herself that. 

“It’s fine, Nora.” She said as angrily as she could. Maybe not even that, but she wanted Blake to apologize despite just meeting. When she was younger, her dad always taught her to be nice even to people who didn’t deserve it. Blake’s rudeness was another reminder of why Yang hated the circus and everyone in it. “It’s not like I had high hopes anyways.”

“If you really want to talk to me, you can go back in line like everyone else.” Blake said, finishing her ponytail and fixing some baby hairs. “Equality, right?”

Yang snorted. “What do  _ you  _ know about equality?” 

She knew she was stepping into dangerous territory. Blake turned around and seemed ready to laugh, but not because she found what Yang said funny. “What do  _ I  _ know about equality? Apparently much more than you do if you’re demanding to see me like this.”

Yang’s mouth dropped. “How do you think you  _ are _ ? You’re just a trapeze artist that managed to impress a crowd.  _ Shocker! _  People are still dying! You didn’t achieve world peace! Did you find the cure for cancer? You’ve done  _ nothing  _ but swing around and pretend like you’re Beyoncé or something.”

“I’ve done nothing?” Blake said, standing up and walking towards Yang. Despite wearing boots with heels, she was still smaller. Yang was thankful for having a tall dad. She wouldn’t have seem as intimidating if she was shorter. “Why are you here if I’ve done nothing? Why did Nora want us to meet so badly?”

Yang narrowed her eyes. She was completely wrong about this girl, about everything. The circus remained to be as dirty as she thought, the people working for it no exception. Maybe Ren and Nora were  _ somewhat  _ of an expectation, but people like Blake who were the main stars didn’t deserve the praise they got daily. No matter what, she’d never support The Circus of Remnant again. 

“You really are what makes the circus so terrible.” Yang realized. Blake’s expression didn’t soften. She didn’t seem hurt at  _ all _ . Sure, maybe she was used to the hate, but Yang would’ve at least  _ blinked  _ if she was receiving that insult. Yang stepped back and looked at Nora. “Thanks for everything but I’ll be going now.”

“Who are you?” Blake simply asked as Yang approached the door. “Why do you think your words even  _ matter  _ to me?” 

Yang let out a fake laugh. “Because after everything my little sister said about you, I really thought you’d contradict what I thought about the circus. But I think we both know you’re just as dirty.”

Without another word, she left the tent. 


	5. The pleasure is all mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter like six times because I didn't want their friendship to seem so forced? So sorry if you think it's forced I'm trying my best lol 
> 
> Also please ignore how terrible the chapters names are. I can't name stuff for shit

_ “You really are the worst of your kind, aren’t you?” _

_ “What’s the matter? You finally realize how pathetic you are?” _

_ “You will never be what you want to be, Blake. I know that. You know that. You really wish to be someone important? Your lack of talent will  _ never  _ get you anywhere.” _

_ “I’m honestly disappointed I ever fell in love with you.” _

Blake shut her eyes. She breathed in and out, in and out, as if she was preparing herself for a somersault--but this time it was to push the pain away. Her hands had begun to shake and she wasn’t in the mood to lock herself up in her tent and push away her friends. This girl wouldn’t hurt her like he did. The flashbacks were over in an instant but the words still burned. She tried to push away every single memory of him and focus on her breathing, the constant reminder that she was a part of a beautiful masterpiece called life. She was okay. He hadn’t gotten the best out of her.

She was okay.

Nora rubbed her hands up and down her back, trying to calm her along with her breathing. She wasn’t mad at her. Nobody could ever stay mad at Nora. She didn’t know she and the girl would argue that way. Nora had the best intentions but it was Blake who ruined everything. She nodded a few times and Nora understood, patting her back softly.

“I’m really sorry, Blake.” She said quietly. “She just doesn’t know--”

“I know.” Blake tried for her voice to come out as gentle as possible. Nora was a very sensitive person and Blake would rather fall to her death than have Nora misunderstand her actions and be hurt. “You did nothing wrong, I promise.”

“Well, neither did she.” Nora said. “You should’ve seen her excitement when I told her she’d be able to meet you. She was looking for you this afternoon, around the time your parents called. I knew you were busy so I promised tonight you’d be able to meet her.”

Blake sighed and faced her friend. “Excitement? She absolutely hates me and the circus! Why would she come in the first place?”

“I don’t know, Blake.” Nora admitted, shrugging. “But you should’ve seen her face when she talked about your performance. It’s like she completely forgot she hated the circus. Ren, Weiss and I got to talk to her for a while. She seems like a really nice, loyal person.”

Blake sighed. “It’s a shame I’ll never see that.”

><><><><><><>

She was instantly wrong. 

Blake didn’t know if it was fate pulling them together or just Nora putting one of her secret plans in action, but once the entire line cleared out of people anxious to meet her, she was completely exhausted and to clear her mind, she always returned to the stage.

It was a completely different thing at night, with absolutely no people there, than at daylight or with a full show. The energy of the show still lingered, the happiness Pyrrha and her tricks with Mosy caused were fresh. Blake could feel it in the air. It’s one of those solitude moments where she could simply breathe. She was still in her trapeze outfit which had grown annoying but she was too busy to whine about it. Coco, as well as working in the ticket stand, also did the outfits. Blake loved seeing her work.

She stepped into the middle of the stage, suddenly feeling like the ringleader and giggled to herself. Ozpin’s job had always seemed the easiest compared to what she had to do, but now that she stood in the center and imagined the eyes of all those people...she wasn’t so sure. Blake looked above where the aerial hoop rested. She’d have to practice tomorrow morning before packing up and leaving. She had heard so many beautiful things about Vale it was disappointing she had to leave already. Blake would’ve loved to see the city or at least take a day off.

That’s when Blake’s eyes fell on the girl, sitting at the end of the bleachers, simply staring at a picture. Her eyes narrowed. She’d imagine Ironwood had cleared everyone out already. He’s scars and body language usually scared people away but Blake heard from Weiss he was a gigantic teddy bear and cried in  _ The Notebook. _ Maybe his soft side allowed the girl to stay.

Blake knew it was a mistake to approach the girl who looked ready to snap her neck. She knew their first conversation should’ve been the last. They had nothing to say to each other. Or that’s what she thought. Blake walked towards the girl, climbing up the bleachers one by one. Her legs were already sore from the performance, but a little more exercise couldn’t hurt.

Blake sighed in front of the girl. She noticed she was holding the picture of a woman, smiling up with a baby in her arms and another at her side. The oldest one was obviously her, the blonde hair and big violet eyes gave it away. The girl finally realized Blake was staring and hid the picture away from her view.

“Are you going to kick me out?” She simply said in a voice so sad it hit Blake’s heart.

“I should.” Blake answered, sighing as she sat down next to her. “But I rather apologize.”

The girl raised her eyebrow and saw Blake from the corner of her eyes. “Really?”

“Look, I don’t know who you are.” Blake explained. “I don’t know why you hate the circus so much or  _ why  _ you wanted to talk to me. I got bad news from my parents before the show and it ruined my mood. I lashed out on you without even  _ knowing  _ you. I--I don’t want you to hate The Circus of Remnant because of me. You have no idea how many wonderful people are apart of this project.”

“The girl that works with the lion,” The girl said. “Does she...?”

“Of course not.” Blake answered. “Pyrrha loves those animals more than herself. She would give her life for Mosy. Actually, before Pyrrha there...was this guy...who’d abuse more than the animals. But he’s gone now. Ozpin fired him and it took a  _ lot  _ for him to leave.”

The girl swallowed. She grabbed a napkin from her pocket and a pen. She looked ready to die from embarrassment. “My little sister is a big fan of the Belladonna’s. I hope you wouldn’t mind another autograph?”

Blake broke into a smile. Apparently, it was contagious because the blonde girl smiled back. When she wasn’t frowning and glaring, but actually  _ smiling _ , Blake realized her lips formed a wonderful shape. “Are you sure it’s for your little sister?”

“Pretty sure,” The girl replied. “She’s basically the reason why I go to the circus every year. It’s a tradition she’s held for six years now.”

Blake raised her eyebrows. She gladly took the napkin and simply wrote her name. The two girl’s behavior had completely changed. Whatever anger and insults both carried were gone, carried by the wind. The night was getting older and older. Soon enough, Blake would need to clean up and rest for tomorrow. She believed the girl was still in school and it was Sunday so nothing good could come out of sleeping late.

“Why do you hate the circus so much?” Blake asked. “Because we’re ‘dirty’? Have you seen  _ Weiss _ ?”

“Yeah.” The girl said. It surprised Blake. How much did this girl know exactly? “And..I might’ve gone carried away with that. I’m sorry too. I judged you before knowing you.”

She offered her hand. “My name is Blake Belladonna, pleased to meet you.”

The girl smiled and shook her head. “And I’m Yang. The pleasure is all mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall really thought I'd make a rwby fanfic and not include Adam for some angsty bees? I hAvE to laugh


End file.
